1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a video system for video telephones and video conferences using video cameras and the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, along with the development of microprocessors which can realize high-speed arithmetic operations, personal computers, workstations, and the like for multimedia information can process a large volume of image information and audio information in real time. More specifically, personal computers and workstations can realize a device for reading out a full-color moving image signal, an audio signal, and the like from a CD-ROM, and reproducing these signals in association with each other, and a video conference or video telephone function of achieving a conference such as a meeting by converting a moving image signal and an audio signal from a video camera into digital signals, and transmitting compressed digital signals to a remote station via a communication line.
In the video telephone or video conference function utilizing a personal computer or workstation, a video camera is arranged on or near a monitor. Recently, a system which can control the video camera in accordance with commands from the personal computer or workstation by a simple operation has been developed.
However, when the video telephone or video conference function is realized using a combination of a personal computer or workstation with a video camera, different device driver software programs must be prepared and selectively used in correspondence with the sensor sizes and functions of video cameras, resulting in inconvenience for an operator. In order to detect a photographing range in direction or zoom control of the camera, the range must be confirmed by operating the camera to the limit of the direction or zoom control, and a cumbersome operation is required for displaying a required image on a monitor, resulting in poor operability. Furthermore, in the video conference or video telephone function, since the direction and zooming of the camera can be controlled by the remote station side, an image including contents which are not to be disclosed to a third party is undesirably transmitted to the remote station, thus posing a problem associated with protection of privacy.